Use the Booster Pack DLC to give Mario Kart 8 Deluxe another go.

Yes, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is over five years old. If you include in the original WiiU edition, it's even older. Nevertheless, Nintendo has chosen to give the racer a second chance with the forthcoming Booster Pack DLC. Nintendo is updating the game with 48 remastered courses from earlier Mario Kart titles, including fan favorites like Tokyo Blur, Coconut Mall, and Choco Mountain.

The fact that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold 40 million copies on the Nintendo Switch makes this seem like a very good idea and a wonderful way to thank the current player base. Up until late 2023, the 48 courses will be released in sets of eight, with the first eight being available on March 18. The Mario Kart 8 DLC has effectively turned Mario Kart 8 Deluxe into a live-service title.

For £22.49/$24.99, the Booster Pack DLC offers all of the courses from the additional game, so if you're still playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this is a wonderful deal. Even better, however, is that, like Animal Crossing: New Horizon's Happy Home Paradise, the Booster Pack DLC is free for any Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscriber. Even if Mario Kart 9 is what many people expected, this looks like the greatest and most sensible answer for fans, giving Mario Kart 8 Deluxe access to the whole game's content while also maximizing its massive user base of 40 million.

Watch the unveiling trailer below to see all of the new stuff for yourself.

Then, use our analysis of the Nintendo Direct February 2022 highlights to catch up on all the other disclosures and surprises from yesterday night's Nintendo Direct.